


when you're high on emotion

by CerinityKS



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Curse Breaking, Curses, Fluff, Good Theo Raeken, M/M, Requited Unrequited Love, Theo Raeken Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:14:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27270028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CerinityKS/pseuds/CerinityKS
Summary: Theo gets whammied with a truth curse that can't be broken until he's spoken his most vulnerable truth to the person he cares for most. Scott is just a little confused about who that is, but he has Liam there to help him set things straight with Theo. Metaphorically speaking.(“Okay, so what do you need me for, exactly? Do you need me to like break-in and hold him down or something? He is a little slippery, I guess I can see why you’d need help. Though not why you’d need me when Derek lives in the same building,” Liam pointed out. Scott blinked in confusion.“What? No, Liam, I need you to let him confess to you.”Liam stared at him unblinkingly. “You’re serious.”“Yes,” Scott snapped. Liam taking Theo’s comfort so cavalierly upset him.Liam’s lip twitched, and a moment later his composure broke and he started to laugh uproariously. Scott scowled at him. “This isn’t funny Liam!”“I-it rea-really is though,” Liam snorted. “What makes you think th-that I’m who Theo cares about m-most?”Scott’s anger started to fade in the face of his confusion at the way Liam was reacting. “Aren’t you?”)
Relationships: Liam Dunbar & Scott McCall, Liam Dunbar & Theo Raeken, Scott McCall/Theo Raeken
Comments: 6
Kudos: 51
Collections: SceoScareFest





	when you're high on emotion

**Author's Note:**

> (title taken from 'ok not to be ok' by marshmallow ft. demi lovato)
> 
> here it is, last fic for sceo scare fest! you can find my bingo card on my tumblr if you still want to look at it and send me a prompt even after October, but this is my last official one to get bingo which is crazy to me lmao anyway this one was fun to write and i hope you guys enjoy!

Theo was avoiding him, and Scott was at his wit’s end. 

He didn’t know how to get Theo to let him in. To talk to him. He could help! That’s all Scott wanted to do – help Theo. His heart clenched as he remembered how scared Theo had smelled when he’d dropped by his place. The frustration and anger in Theo’s voice. Not all of it had been directed at Scott, but enough of it had that he almost regretted going. He did regret making Theo mad at him. 

He just wanted Theo to be ok. 

Scott sighed and stared up at Liam’s bedroom window. Normally he wouldn’t do this, but it was late, and he didn’t know what else to do. He concentrated on the sounds inside the house. Three heartbeats, two beating the slow and steady pace of the sleeping. While the third – 

Liam’s window opened and his head poked out. “Are you going to wait down there all night?” 

Scott huffed and backed up a bit to get a running start. Liam moved out of the way as Scott jumped up, grabbed hold of the ledge, and swung himself in. Liam’s room was messy, incomplete homework spread across his desk, and sheets mussed. Liam was dressed for sleep though he clearly had been the farthest thing from sleeping. 

“What’s up?” Liam sat down on his bed and gestured for Scott to do the same. Scott shook his head and leaned back against the window ledge. He wasn’t planning on staying long. 

“I need your help,” Scott started. 

“With what?” Liam looked bewildered. As if he couldn’t comprehend the fact that Scott could possibly find himself with a problem he couldn’t handle himself. 

“It’s Theo,” Scott forced out after a pause. A pulse of jealousy washed through him at the idea that Liam would be able to help Theo in a way he couldn’t. Liam’s nose wrinkled and the bewildered look on his face just grew. 

“What could I possibly do to help Theo that you couldn’t?” 

Scott’s jaw worked as he tried to figure out how to word it. It had barely been 48-hours since everything had happened and it still didn’t feel real. Or even believable. And he’d seen it first hand. Liam waited patiently as the minutes passed in silence, clearly able to see his alpha was struggling. Finally, after a few more minutes and a few false starts, Scott spoke. 

“There was this… someone sent Theo something,” Scott huffed, a scowl on his face. “We’re not sure who, but it was a music box, a cursed music box. It,” Scott laughed and shook his head, anything but amused. “Theo opened it, got cursed.”

“Is Theo ok?” Liam asked immediately, concern for his friend shining through. 

“Yes, yes, he’s fine,” Scott dismissed before he realized himself and sighed. “The curse isn’t meant to be fatal, we don’t think. Deaton and Derek that is. Theo will be fine. The problem is the type of curse it is.” When Scott didn’t immediately elaborate Liam made an impatient noise and gestured for him to continue.

“What kind of curse is it?” 

“It’s a… it’s a truth curse,” Scott bit out. Liam stared at him, realized Scott was serious, and then scoffed. 

“Wow, Theo must _hate_ that.”

Scott scoffed and smiled, just a little. “Yeah, he isn’t thrilled,” he admitted. 

“So what’s the issue, exactly? Does Deaton not know how to break the curse?” 

“Oh, Deaton knows how to break the curse,” Scott shook his head. “The issue is how it’s broken. Theo needs to,” Scott scowled again, jealousy pulsing through him once more at what he was about to ask Liam to do. “To break the curse Theo needs to confess his most vulnerable secret to the person he cares for most. Until he does that he can’t stop speaking the truth, and only the truth.” 

Liam sat back on his bed and digested that. Scott did his best not to fidget as he waited for Liam to say something. When he did it wasn’t exactly what Scott was expecting. 

“Okay, so what do you need me for, exactly? Do you need me to like break-in and hold him down or something? He is a little slippery, I guess I can see why you’d need help. Though not why you’d need me when Derek lives in the same building,” Liam pointed out. Scott blinked in confusion.

“What? No, Liam, I need you to let him confess to you.”

Liam stared at him unblinkingly. “You’re serious.” 

“Yes,” Scott snapped. Liam taking Theo’s comfort so cavalierly upset him.

Liam’s lip twitched, and a moment later his composure broke and he started to laugh uproariously. Scott scowled at him. “This isn’t funny Liam!” 

“I-it rea-really is though,” Liam snorted. “What makes you think th-that I’m who Theo cares about m-most?”

Scott’s anger started to fade in the face of his confusion at the way Liam was reacting. “Aren’t you?”

Liam’s face contorted like he was trying desperately not to laugh again. “Hell no! We’re friends, yeah, but not that close. You mean you really don’t know?”

“If I did know would I be here?” Scott pointed out. 

Liam acknowledged that and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “Scott, you really need to talk to Theo.”

“I’ve tried that!” Scott scowled. “He won’t let me near him.”

“So you _do_ need me to bust in and hold him down for you,” Liam smirked. 

“I don’t,” Scott stopped, sighed, then nodded. “Yeah, sure.” If it would get Theo talking to him again after nearly 48-hours of radio silence he’d take it. He was surprised when Liam stood up and went over to grab a hoodie. “Wait, you wanna go now?”

“Might as well get it over with,” Liam pointed out. 

“It’s a school night.”

“Worth it, to see this finally getting resolved,” Liam grumbled.

“To see what resolved?”

“Don’t worry about it, you’ll see.”

-

The busting in ended up being rather anticlimactic. Instead of actually busting in Liam pulled out a key from his hoodie. Scott eyed it and tried to push the once more rising jealousy away. “Theo gave you a key?” 

“Nah, had it made a little while ago just in case.”

“In case you needed to break in?”

“Sure, something like that,” Liam evaded as he unlocked the door and flung it open. “Theo! Where are you?”

They heard him curse from his bedroom before he stumbled out, having clearly been sleeping a moment ago. He glared at Liam and opened his mouth before he saw Scott standing behind him. Theo went pale. “Liam, what the hell,” he hissed. 

“Scott filled me in,” the look on Liam’s face was gleeful. If anything that made Theo pale further. “I figure this is a perfect opportunity for you to finally get off your ass like I’ve been telling you to for _months_.”

“Liam, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Theo hissed as he backed up, clearly intent on locking himself in his room. 

“Oh no you don’t,” Liam lunged forward. He managed to catch Theo around the waist and tackle him to the floor as the chimera reached his room. Scott darted forward as the two of them started to wrestle. The aggression wafting off of Theo was far from fake, and the hits he was landing were clearly meant to hurt and get Liam to let go. Liam hung on fast though and did his best to wrestle Theo into submission. 

“Guys, guys, stop! Liam, I didn’t think you were being serious about holding him down,” Scott did his best to pry them apart, the two of them going reluctantly. Theo immediately curled into himself and scooted further away to press into his footboard. Liam collapsed against the wall and stared hard at Theo. “Now what was that about?”

“Yeah, why don’t you tell him, Theo,” Liam smirked. Scott shot a warning look at Liam. He simply held up his hands before they both turned to Theo who looked like he wanted to melt into the floor. Theo glared briefly at Liam before he focused on Scott. 

“I don’t want Liam here.”

“I don’t trust you not to try to weasel out of this if I’m not,” Liam shot back. Scott huffed and Liam held up his hands preemptively and made a locking motion in front of his lips. Scott shook his head and turned back to Theo. 

“I think he should stay for the moment,” Scott admitted. “Why won’t you just talk to me, Theo? I want to help.” Theo’s jaw clenched and he swallowed. A scared scent wafted off of Theo once more, bitter and sharp, and Scott hated the fact that he was scaring him. 

“I don’t want to say.”

“But why,” Scott begged. “Please, just let me help you.” 

“I don’t want you to reject me,” Theo bit out. Scott’s heart skipped a beat even though he was sure Theo didn’t mean it like that. 

“Theo, I could never reject you.” 

“You say that now,” Theo scoffed bitterly. “I don’t deserve you, Scott.”

Liam shifted behind him and Scott heard him get up. He didn’t turn to look though, eyes locked on Theo’s as he ignored the way his heart skipped once more. Because there was no way. “Pretty sure that’s up to me to decide.” There was no way Theo felt the same way. He’d never given any indication, even when Scott had tried his best to feel him out, that he’d felt similarly to Scott. 

“Scott,” Theo whispered brokenly and then shook his head. “You say that now, but you don’t know the things I’ve done. The things I did under the doctors.”

“I don’t care,” Scott hissed, desperate not to lose Theo now. Not when he was so close. “I really don’t Theo. I know who you were back then, what they made you be, but you were just as much one of their victims as everyone else. You’re worth it.”

Theo’s face crumpled and he shook his head. “Please don’t say that,” Theo begged.

“It’s true,” Scott took a chance and moved closer slowly. “Theo, you had your life stolen from you. You were twisted, manipulated, and you did what you needed to survive. They can say they saw burgeoning darkness or whatever in you but you were just a _kid_. Who knows how you would have grown up without their influence? I’m betting you wouldn’t have turned into what you were under them though. You would have been good, just like you’re trying to be now.”

“You don’t know that!” Theo snapped. “God, Scott, how can you say stuff like that to me?”

“Because I love you.”

The sound Theo made at that was sharp and desperate. “Scott, I love you too,” he choked. The truth pulled from him unwittingly. Scott hated that the first time Theo said those words to him he didn’t get to choose to do so. 

“Then please, let me help you,” Scott begged once more. He moved closer still, almost within arms reach of Theo. “Theo, please.”

Theo shook his head, and Scott closed the remaining distance to pull him into his arms. Theo collapsed against him immediately, sobs wracking his frame. Scott pulled him close, arms tight, and felt Theo’s hands fist in the back of his shirt. He hummed low in his chest, a song that he remembered his mom singing to him when he was little and had a nightmare. Theo shook against him, desperate, but slowly the sobs started to die off. Scott rocked them slowly, doing his best to comfort the smaller man. 

Eventually, Theo’s sobs faded out and they were just sitting in each other's arms. The soft sound of Scott’s humming was the only thing breaking the silence. Theo’s arms tightened around him and Scott pressed a kiss to the top of his head as he slowly stopped moving and humming.

“Whatever you need to tell me, I promise, I will still be here for you.” 

“Will you still love me?” the question came out hesitant, muffled.

“I promise. Nothing you tell me will change that.”

Theo nodded but didn’t pull back from Scott’s arms. There was a small part of Scott that was rejoicing at the fact that Theo loved him, that he was the one Theo cared about most and not Liam. But there was a bigger part of him that was more worried about Theo and what he could possibly be carrying around that was worrying him like this. 

“I, do you remember, back when we were in fourth grade?”

“Of course. What about it?”

“Do you remember when I started getting detention after school? When I stopped being able to come out and skateboard with you and Stiles?”

“Yeah, it was towards the end of the school year. Was that when…?”

“Yeah,” Theo admitted with a shaky exhale. “That’s when the doctors first made contact with me. You know, they didn’t just make contact with me?”

“What?” Scott stared down at the top of Theo’s head in shock. He didn’t mean-?

“Tara,” Theo nodded. “I never told her that they were taking me too. The way our parents treated her like she was crazy, I didn’t want them to do it to me. Despite what I told Stiles I did love my sister. But the doctors,” Theo shook his head. “They ruin everything.”

“What happened?”

Theo swallowed but didn’t look up at Scott. “They needed to make a choice between the two of us. We both had an equal chance of success but they only needed one of us. One of us had to die. And I convinced them to let me live. To kill Tara instead and give me her heart. That night she died? They’d stopped seeing her. She was getting better without them visiting her every night. So when they told me to lure her out there and kill her, I did it, and she came along happily at the thought of spending time with her little brother again,” Theo scoffed, a disgusted sound.

Scott tightened his grip on him and Theo nuzzled his head into the curve of Scott’s neck and sighed. “I do remember loving her, Scott. But the doctors, I don’t know. I wanted to live more than I loved her. When she saw them waiting for us on the bridge you know her first instinct was to protect me? She tried to protect me from them, begged them to take her instead,” Theo’s claws slipped free and dug into Scott’s back in response to his rising stress. Scott said nothing, taking the pain silently as he pulled Theo as close as possible and buried his nose in the soft hair behind Theo’s ear. 

“It was an accident when she fell into the river. She tried to push the surgeon away, told me to run, and the surgeon just pushed her. I don’t think they meant for her to topple over, but she did, and her leg breaking was so _loud_ ,” Theo whispered, haunted. “There was no way she could climb out. And with how cold the river usually was, let alone on the coldest night of the year? She didn’t stand a chance. So I just watched her, secure in the knowledge that I’d have her heart and be able to live. The look she gave me once she realized,” Theo trailed off.

“Whatever the doctors saw in me? It was real Scott,” Theo laughed brokenly. “I’m a monster, they just showed me the truth of what I am. I deserve to be locked back in the skinwalkers prison for eternity. I don’t deserve you.”

“I already told you that it's up to me to decide if someone deserves me or not, and what you just told me doesn’t change that,” Scott replied fiercely. “I still love you, Theo. You were a kid, put in a terrible situation by real monsters who knew exactly how to manipulate you. You didn’t deserve anything they did to you, neither did Tara. You’re not a monster.” 

“Scott,” Theo finally did look up at him then. “How?”

“I just do,” Scott caressed Theo’s cheek and smiled when the chimera leaned into the action with a sigh. “I love you. I’ll tell you as many times as I need to, to get the message to sink in.”

“That might be a lot,” Theo breathed. 

“I’m up to the task,” Scott grinned. “But there is something I think could help.”

Theo frowned. “What?” 

“I think you should see a therapist.” Theo reared back but Scott kept him close. “I mean it. I’m sure Deaton knows someone who is informed on the supernatural that you can talk to. But I think you need to talk to someone about all this Theo.” 

Theo’s jaw worked, body tense before he relaxed and huffed. “I… I’m not sure talking to someone will help.”

“It can’t hurt. And I really do think it will help.”

“Is this,” Theo bit his lip. “Will this, us, be off the table if I say no?”

“Never,” Scott promised. “I’m not gonna put you in that kind of position. You had so many choices and parts of your life stolen from you, I won’t make this kind of choice for you. Won’t force you to do this. I love you,” Scott caressed his cheek again. “I just think it would really help you come to terms with everything.” 

“Do I have to decide right now?”

“Of course not. Let me know tonight, tomorrow, a week from now, whenever you’re ready.”

Theo nodded and his eyes flicked across Scott’s lips. Scott smiled, just a bit, and Theo flicked his eyes up to meet his. “Are we done talking already?” 

“Are we?” Scott asked, amused. Happiness bubbled in his chest. Theo loved him back, they had finally really talked, and things were looking up. 

“Pretty sure the curse is finished,” Theo commented wryly. 

“Yeah?” the happiness bubbles were popping and fizzing, filling him. Theo’s eyes shined as he scented how happy Scott was, a similar emotion emanating from him. 

“Yeah, cause I can easily say I’m a singing purple rhinoceros that burps colored bubbles and it won’t even register as a lie.” True to Theo’s word his heart never blipped and he was able to speak the lie without even a stutter. Scott beamed. 

He didn’t think, just hauled Theo up into a heart-pounding kiss. Theo moaned and melted, fingers moving up to tangle in Scott’s hair. Scott trembled, or maybe that was Theo, their lips moving together in sync.

“You guys know I’m still here, right?” Liam suddenly interrupted from the next room. “I’m not running all the way back to my place, you’re my ride, Scott. Please don’t start having sex. I don’t want to be traumatized for life.” 

They broke apart with a groan of frustration and a laugh from Theo and Scott respectively. “I hate him,” Theo muttered. 

“I’m the closest thing you have to a best friend,” Liam pointed out.

“Not for long,” Theo promised with a dark look towards the living room where Liam was hiding. 

“You’re not killing him,” Scott laughed. “I’m gonna bring him home, okay?”

“And then you’ll come right back?” Theo asked searchingly, fingers tightening minutely in Scott’s hair. 

“Then I’ll be _right_ back,” Scott swore. He pressed a quick kiss to Theo’s lips and then disentangled himself completely to stand. Theo whined and moved forward but Scott danced out of the way with a quick grin. He darted forward to press a kiss to Theo’s cheek and then moved to the living room. 

“Come on, Liam, let’s get you home,” _quickly_ , he silently thought. He couldn’t wait to get back to Theo. 

-

The door was unlocked when he got back, and it sent a silent thrill through him. The only heartbeat in the apartment came from the bedroom and Scott quickly toed off his shoes, locked the door, and padded over. 

Theo was lying back in his bed, shirtless, a book in hand. He looked up when Scott stopped in the doorway to take the image in. Theo smiled, soft and shy, and Scott melted. “Hey,” he whispered. 

“Hey, you’re back,” Theo replied. It didn’t sound self-deprecating like he hadn’t thought Scott wouldn’t come back, so he didn’t comment on it. Scott just stripped his shirt off and then kicked off his jeans before he walked forward and crawled across the bed to collapse next to Theo.

“You’re making yourself comfortable,” Theo teased, but the look on his face was as pleased as his tone was teasing. Scott just grinned and sprawled more dramatically, head rested on Theo’s shoulder. 

“Sorry, should I move?” Scott teased back. The happy high from earlier hadn’t faded but had settled, low and glowing in his chest. 

“No, I like this,” Theo whispered as he moved his arm to wrap around Scott and make their position more comfortable. Scott settled with a happy sigh and pressed a kiss to Theo’s clavicle. 

“I like this too.” 

Theo looked down at him with a soft expression before snapping his book shut. He threw it carelessly onto the nightstand before he moved, rearranging them once more. Once Theo was done they were both lying on their side, hips pressed together with their legs tangled. Scott wound his arms around Theo’s shoulder and leaned forward to press a chaste kiss to his lips. Theo’s fingers danced across his sides, skin tingling at the touch. 

“I like this much better,” Scott sighed as he leaned their foreheads together. 

“Yeah, me too.”

Scott wasn’t sure who moved first, but both of them were kissing a moment later. Despite the urgency from earlier before Scott left things stayed slow and chaste. Maybe being in bed together had cooled the need for anything quick and dirty. Maybe the knowledge that their love was reciprocated had finally sunk in. Maybe they were both just too tired for anything else. Either way, it didn’t matter. 

It was slow and sweet, and Scott’s lips were just a touch on the dry side, but he swore it was the best kiss he’d ever had. Theo’s tongue pressed against his lips, testing, and Scott parted them with a sigh. Scott pulled Theo closer and rolled until he was on his back, Theo settled comfortably on top of him. 

“I _really_ like this,” Theo breathed as Scott moved to press slow, biting kisses across the chimera's jaw and down his neck. Theo’s hips rolled against his but both of them stayed soft. The desire for more wasn’t really there. Scott was okay with that, knew it was too early for anything more anyway. He was just content to have Theo in his arms and be in his bed. 

Theo buried his face in the curve of Scott’s neck as the alpha pressed one last kiss to his shoulder. They just held each other as the events of the day started to catch up to them. “We need to talk, don’t we?” Theo whispered. 

“Probably, but we don’t need to tonight,” Scott acknowledged. 

“In the morning, over coffee?” 

“Sounds perfect,” Scott nosed at the dip behind Theo’s ear and inhaled his comforting scent. He didn’t think he would ever tire of it. 

“Scott?” Theo’s voice was slow and just a tinge slurred. As if the knowledge that Scott really did plan to stay meant he could finally acknowledge the exhaustion he had to be feeling. Theo settled more comfortably on top of him and Scott hummed.

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Now go to sleep,” Scott pressed a kiss to the top of Theo’s head and tightened his arms around him. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

**Author's Note:**

> find [this](https://rinnielove.tumblr.com/post/633346799315402752/when-youre-high-on-emotion) and [me](https://rinnielove.tumblr.com/) over on tumblr. come say hi and talk to me about sceo!


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